hmv reviews… Lonely The Brave @ London's Cargo

If we’re honest with ourselves, most gigs we go to are pretty good. The band do their damndest, normally play everything you want to hear and leave the room with a throughly satisfied crowd behind them. Some gigs are terrible, some are mediocre, some feature artists on the absolute top of their game and some feel like the band are going through the motions. Then there are the gigs that feel like they’ll go on to be ‘I was there, I promise’ moments, gigs that people remember as the start of something dead special. Well, last night’s (January 30) show from Lonely The Brave felt a bit like that, here’s why...

Who?

Lonely The Brave. They hail from Cambridge and play big rock songs full of heart and gusto.

Where?

Cargo, right in the heart of East London.

Was it full? And how were the crowd?

Absolutely rammed. They’re still building a profile, but you couldn’t move in the venue by the time Lonely The Brave hit the stage. The crowd lapped up every note, singing along throughout, which is pretty impressive given the band have only released a handful of tracks.

Who was supporting?

Fatherson. They were supremely Scottish but also very very good. They share Lonely The Brave’s technique for writing uplifting rock songs, but with a more folky tinge, steeped in the likes of Bob Dylan and Fleetwood Mac rather than Pearl Jam or Smashing Pumpkins. They’re one to look out for though and they’ve got some big tunes, especially ‘Mine For Mine’, which sounded colossal.

So what was the set like? What did they play?

It was utterly brilliant. Lonely The Brave play passionate, driving rock that’s steeped in classic grunge and the best bits of Bruce Springsteen, Oasis and The Gaslight Anthem, it’s anthemic and super hooky. They played almost the entirety of their ‘Backroads’ EP and most of their debut album The Day’s War, which is due out later this year.

Any good between song banter?

Almost nothing. The whole band must have said a total of 20 words during the set and most of those were to thank Fatherson for playing. That left more time for playing though, every cloud...

Did they put on much of a show? Any fireworks?

They had a nice big backdrop, but when you’ve got songs like Lonely The Brave do, you need nothing else...

What was the set highlight?

New single ‘Trick Of The Light’ lit the place up, ‘Backroads’ scored a huge sing-a-long, but it was ‘Black Saucers’ which really got the place going. It’s not like there were any low lights though..

Where can I catch them next?

They’re on tour across the UK until February 8, but there will be dates throughout the year. Get on it.

Would you recommend it?

With every fibre of our being, Lonely The Brave are, hands down, the most exciting new band in Britain at the moment, you need them in your life.